When I woke many, many hours later, I was in bed with the covers tucked carefully around me. I was alone with a headache that surpassed anything I could remember. When the maid came to do the room, I asked her to tell the Manager to extend me for another night. I made it to the bathroom, threw up from the dizziness, drank as much water as I could hold, and went back to bed. It was late that afternoon before I could manage to sit up without feeling sick.
I thought only enough about the night before to force myself into the car before Ricky or anyone else could come back to check on me. I was grateful they had taken care of me after I fell, and not taken advantage of me, as far as I could tell. Still, enough was enough, I didn't want to see them again.
I have to admit, within a couple days, I was already missing the excitement of the bookstore, but I couldn't imagine going back there. Then came the telephone call.
"Hey, babe, how you feeling? Your head back on straight?" Yes, it was Ricky.
"How . . . .?" I began.
"Come on, now," he laughed. "You think we didn't check your purse for ID after we made sure you were still alive? We even tried to call your home to see if anyone there wanted to come get you. We're your good friends now, aren't we?"
"Oh, well, sure, thanks," I managed to offer. "I appreciate what you did. Well, I better go now."
"Not yet, sweetheart. I have an offer for you. Why don't you come by tonight and let me tell you about it?"
"No, I don't think so," I responded. "I really don't have any plans to be back near there any time soon."
"Hmmmmm, well maybe I'll make the offer to that hot little girl whose picture you have in your wallet. She looks sexy enough. She there? Can I talk to her?"
"You leave her alone!" I almost screamed. "I don't want you talking to her, ever!"
"Sure, big mama, anything you say, but I do therefore expect to talk to you. Tonight! You got it? Otherwise, I may have to stop by and talk to both of you. You understand?"
I couldn't think of anything to say. "You don't even need to rent a room," he continued. "Just stop by the motel tonight, say 8:00. See you then." He hung up.
I felt sick. What in hell had I done? I couldn't let Ricky anywhere near this house. Sure, Chastity was away at school, but she'd be home in a few weeks. What then?
The answer was obvious, although I refused to acknowledge it, even as I put on my most unsexy jeans and shirt and prepared to meet Ricky at the hotel. And this time, I was careful to wear the most conservative underwear I owned. - - - - He was sitting on a chair just outside the motel room when I arrived. It was the same room I had rented before. I could feel his eyes on me as I walked from my car, up the steps, and along the railing to his room. I didn't even stop walking as I passed him, striding determinedly into his room. I was distressed to find Jack and Tina both in the room, especially as their smiles showed they were thinking along the lines of, "I knew she'd be back."
Ricky ambled in and slid into the same chair as the night I'd met him. "This is outrageous," I began. "If you harass me one more time, I'm going to call the police."
Ricky just sat there looking at me with a bored expression on his face. "Fine. You can go then," he said. "Say hello to your daughter."
I stood there looking at him, not sure whether to slap him, run to the phone to call the police, or burst out into tears. "What is it you want?" I finally said in resignation.
Jack handed me a glass with what smelled like cheap bourbon. Ricky lit up a joint, and the thick smell of the other night filled my mind. I sank into a chair across from Ricky and waited for him to speak.
"You need to chill out," he began. "I'm not out to ruin your life. I just want to offer you a deal you may find attractive. If you choose to turn it down, that's fine. You in the mood to listen?" He looked at me in a way that didn't necessarily look threatening.
"Go on," I said.